4-H Funding in Pennsylvania

4-H funding is in danger in Pennsylvania.

Today after a test in class, several students of mine who are highly involved in 4-H alerted me to the fact that 4-H funding is in trouble.  Governor Tom Wolf would like to cut $50.5 million dollars in funding.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with 4-H, it is an agricultural program that teaches participants skills including, but not limited to: 

• time management
• speaking
• social
• responsibilities in caring for animals 

The 4-H website lists their goals as:

• To increase a member’s knowledge in a variety of project areas, while teaching life-skills such as decision-making, public speaking, and leadership.

• These goals can be accomplished through communicating in a group, working cooperatively and being responsible. Members can learn through experience, preparing, designing and evaluating their projects.

The program is highly reliant on participants working together to achieve successful state fairs, shows, and other various programs.

This program needs to be funded.  It teaches more than just "raising animals."  It teaches valuable skills that participants will use their whole lives such as those listed above.

I asked several of my students to write down what they have learned from 4-H and how they intend to use it in their lives.

Here is what one student had to say:
"It teaches you responsibility because you must take care of your animals, you must feed them at least twice a day, clean their pens or stalls at least once and bathe them a couple times a week.  And if you want them to look really nice you can brush them..."  ~Janelle

She goes on to say that she has had the opportunity to meet many new people and travel to several states due to her involvement in 4-H.


So I ask you to please sign the petition to support 4-H funding. Go here to sign!